Can "underground" rap still thrive? In an age of free mixtapes and artists manuevering around the industry without a major label, it's a subgenre that's getting harder to define, let alone pinpoint. But one of 2011's most interesting rap acts has the attitude and — most importantly — the songs to make the discussion worth having. And they'll be at D.C.'s 9:30 Club Saturday night.
Das Racist, a trio of intelligent (they met at Wesleyan) rappers of Indian and Afro-Cuban/Italian descent, earned some fans with the knowingly goofy "Combination Pizza-Hut and Taco Bell" in 2009. But since then, they've demanded — through the quality of their tapes and the stinging of their jokes — to be taken more seriously ... at least somewhat.
There's a sharp, sly humor in all of Das Racist's songs, usually aimed at race (sorry white people!), class and the absurd genre they work within. Das Racist headlines the "Relax" tour; its name taken from the album they just released on their own label. Watch the group's insane video for "Michael Jackson" (language might be NSFW) below: